Entrepreneurial and Leadership skills prevalent in smallholder farmers in Gauteng : an exploratory study

Abstract

In South Africa, since the first democratic elections in 1994, a high percentage of its population (29%) remains unemployed which in turn has aggravated income inequality, especially between the white and the non-white population, led to social anxiety and severe economic distress. The National Development Plan (NDP) was created to possibly provide 11 million jobs by 2030 with agricultural industry as a key component in increasing employment by increasing food security, reducing income inequality and as a result benefit the country’s economy. By supporting smallholder farming, the government has a chance to not just develop the economy but also to uplift previously disadvantaged population. Therefore, the long-term survival of smallholder farmers is critical to NDP’s strategy in the advancement of the economy and the society. This paper’s aim was to explore leadership and entrepreneurial skills of smallholder farmers, and these skills’ role in supporting the long-term survival of these farmers and their eventual progression into commercial farming. The researcher adopted a qualitative, exploratory research method with the intention to gain new insights into the prevalence of leadership and entrepreneurial skills present in smallholder farmers. A total of 11 semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with smallholder farmers in Gauteng. With the help of Atlas Ti, each interview was analysed using thematic content analysis.